tantrum

Currently:

Recording something but not sure if its tantrum, Fake Tan or something else.

Latest Album: Advice to Users, released February 2005

The full title is: Advice to Users of Life: work less, earn less, spend less and do more.

First Album: Maisie's Friend, released November 1999

Again recorded at home, mainly in Stockbridge Edinburgh in six months in 1995. Recorded on 8 track and 4 track. In its original cassestte/demo form created a bit of a stir getting some very favourable reviews and catching the eyes of all sorts of business types. Which led to us trying to play it live which was a bit of a disaster.

In 1999 we re-released it as a cd.

Who are tantrum?

tantrum were formed in 1995 and recorded the album 'maisie's friend' that summer. The album was released on cassette in november 1995 and on cd in 1999 after re-mastering it. Work begun on the second album in the autumn of 1995 but it took four years to build a working studio. After recording FAKE TAN's first album 'Snippets' in 1999 and 2000 tantrum started work again on the second album in 2001: 'Advice to users' released in 2005. From 2005 to 2007 they worked on the second FAKE TAN album 'Pieces' which we hope to release in 2007. Work has begun on a third tantrum album.

tantrum are Nikki Grant and Tom Fraser on guitars, bass, vocals, drums, samples and produce the music. Additional sounds and production (on maisie's friend) have come from Mike Wheeler (Tinkerbell's Dope Ring, Gasgiant, Sativa Drummers, Alice Schwindel, AngeloD) and Arthur Finlay (Tinkerbell's Dope Ring, Realm of the Shoppingtrolley, Blab).

Musically its sort of hot rock ambient lofi guitar music, sometimes with vocals, sometimes not, with quite a lot of other recorded sounds from tv, radio, out the window and stuff. The sound is guitars, basses, drums (sampled and programed), vocals, and lots of effects.

We did play lave for 2 horrific years, 96-98, whcih pretty well put paid to nikki ever singing again. Though she does but very rarely to record a particular song. But it can take a year or two per song.

tantrum reviews

Tantrum - Advice To Users
Reloda - March 11, 2007

The full title of Tantrum’s second album is ‘Advice To Users Of Life: Work Less and Earn Less and Spend Less and Do More’ which sort of sums up where the music’s coming from. Smoke More should also be in the title as its a sonic journey full of fuzzy shards and pretty nuances and seems to have been recorded one-step left of anywhere. Its a bit like the introspective indie band Submarine from the Nineties who released one full studio album of wonderful slow fuzzy guitar gems that seemed to hang in the air waiting for someone to come along and blow them away.

TANTRUM - Advice to users
Perkele , Noizeitalia

Floppy Records è un’etichetta indipendente di Edimburgo dedita a far emergere band più o meno note del panorama locale. Tra le diverse produzione della label (ricordiamo Fake Tan, Boris Boogaloo e Tinkerbell’s Dope Ring) segnaliamo due uscite molto interessanti per qualità della proposta e sonorità abbracciate.

I Tantum nascono nel 1995 e soltanto con questo nuovo disco giungono al traguardo del secondo album. In realtà si tratta di un duo che gravita intorno alle figure di Nikki Grant e Tom Fraser, i quali si dividono tra chitarre, basso, vocals, batteria e samples. “Advice to users” è un insieme di lo fi, noise, shoegaze, indie e acid rock che piace per la sua capacità di alternare bordate elettriche e momenti di placida stasi.

Brani come “White”, “Ywork” e “Chickpea” compongono suggestivi affreschi ambient psych (tempo fa andava di moda dire shoegazing…), nei quali è inevitabile percepire il sapore di My Bloody Valentie e Slowdive. Merito anche della bellissima voce di Nikki, vellutata e ‘soffice’ come richiesto dal genere. “Liftoff” e “Princess” sfoderano invece chitarre, feedback e melodie degne di Motorpsycho e Sonic Youth, mentre “Emergency poncho” si pone al limite del trip hop. Insomma, “Advice to users” è un ascolto soft, il disco ideale per rilassarsi e rifugiarsi nel proprio piccolo spazio vitale, lontani dai logorii moderni. D’altronde l’avviso agli utenti è chiaro: work less, earn less, spend less and do more.

translated by deals:

Floppy Records is an independent Edinburgh label dedicated to emerging bands more or less from the local area. Among the diverse productions the label has produced (which previously included Fake Tan, Boris Boogaloo and Tinkerbell's Dope Ring) we would draw your attention to two outfits which are very interesting both in the quality of their production and their embracing of a unique sound.

1. Tantrum began in 1995, and it is only with this new recording that they have completed their second album. In reality, they consist of a duo revolving around the figures of Nikki Grant & Tom Fraser, whose sound comprises guitar,bass vocals, samples and drums.

'Advice to Users' is a mixture of lo fi, noise, shoegaze, indie and acid rock which likes to alternate between electric and placid states. Pieces such as 'White' 'Ywork' and 'Chickpea' which suggests a fresh ambience and whose tempo carries on in the style of shoegazing. The flavour of their sound inevitably recalls My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive.

Worthy of note is also the attractive voice of Nikki, which is both velvet and soft. 'Liftoff' & 'princess' Contrasting with the guitar, feedback and melody like Motorpsycho & Sonic Youth, while 'Emergeny Poncho' puts them on the verge of trip hop.

In conclusion, 'Advice to Users' is an soft listen (? could be translated in a number of ways - NOT easy listening you'll be pleased to know! But hints at an 'easy to the ear' type of translation)

The ideal disc to relax to and find yourself refuge in a small but vital aural space, a long way from the strains of modern life. On the other hand, this advice to users is clear - work less, earn less spend less and do more.

TANTRUM - Advice to Users
Review by Tim Emswiler (StonerRock.com)

Abandon all preconceptions, ye who enter here, because this ain’t your daddy’s (or, I suspect, your) stoner rock. In fact, it’s not really rock at all. But if you’re the smoking type, this will do ya just fine. The complete album title is Advice to Users of Life: Work Less and Earn Less and Spend Less and Do More, so that alone oughta tell ya that what you’re getting into here is something a little bit different. It’s also good to have sex to (that’s my guess, anyway – I’m saving myself for marriage). This was recorded in Scotland, although there is no indication of where the band is from, or even who is in the band, but I get the impression that one person does most of the work here. More detailed liner notes, please, unless that whole enigmatic thing is part of your deal.

Just in the space of the first two tracks, we go from a fairly fuzzy guitar drone with meaty drums creating a solid foundation, to an ambient, almost Cocteau Twins-y ambient piece that is soft as velvet and wraps you up in ethereal female vocals and echo-y effects. In fact, I would say that every track here could be described as ambient. No guitar rave-ups here – you get samples and fuzz and quietness and prettiness with some infrequent heavyosity, all rather trippy, and, if I may say so, rather un-American sounding, which is to say nothing more than that this stuff tends to go over better in the UK than it does here, perhaps because they never had Southern rock over there.

Another thing that sets this apart from the pack is that every track is available for download in the MP3 format, and, because this was recorded under something called the Creative Commons License, the press release states that “everybody is welcome to distribute, remix and generally mess around with these tracks.” If that isn’t art for art’s sake, I don’t know what is. Get this, smoke it if ya got it, and let the music wash over you. The waves are mostly bathwater-warm (not the same as “lukewarm”– the bathwater thing is meant as praise), with the occasional icy blast to keep you on your toes. One of the more multi-dimensional discs I’ve heard in a good long time.

tantrum - e! katakulliyat

david lynch’in müzikteki karsiligi denebilecek tantrum, 1995’de kurulmasina ragmen ancak iki albüm çikarmis, ziyadesiyle minimal arkadaslar. samplelarla dolu, efekt manyagi sarkilariyla yeraltinda pek sevilirler. ilk albümlerini 4 senede ikinci albümlerini de basladiktan 5 sene sonra çikarabilmisler, her iki albüm de internet üstünden legal olarak dagitiliyor. tantuni gibi güzel grup.
(i think this is turkish, i have no idea what it says - anyone has any ideas please email me. Just been told that the words beautiful and good are in there so thats a start)

Tantrum - two albums - FreeAlbumBlog
Genre: Rock, Psychedelia, Shoegaze, Post-Rock

Tantrum inhabit that shadow area of the rock world where disembodied vocals mix with psychedelic quitar evoking memories of David Lynch films. The result is trance inducing and similar to the sonic dream music of artists like Cocteau Twins and Blonde Redhead.

Tantrum has two albums available online. Maisie’s Friend (1999) is their first and has a slightly more melodic feel to it. “Pill and Dreams” pulses and flows over the ethereal vocals of Nikki Grant. “Scaremonger” is my favorite track with its light lyrics over densely layered guitar and electronics. I also recommend “Skunk”, a delightful exercise in manic energy.

Advice To Users was released in 2006. Tantrum continues the pattern of floating voices over deep layers of sound. “Princess” is especially engaging as its Grant’s voice lulls you into a dream then jolts you awake with high-voltage guitars. “Emergency Poncho” has a Sonic Youth echo to it. Both albums are recommended to those who like their rock music to be spacy and intelligent.

Both albums are available in 128kbps MP3. If you enjoy the music, support the artists by buying their CDs in higher quality sound.

Tantrum - Advice to Users
Skinnymag

It's easy to love the vocals on 'Advice to Users'. I'm not sure what effects are used on them and what other technical wizardry is employed, but they're ghostly, ominous, beautiful and kind of other-worldly. Elsewhere there are equally immaculate electronics and effects on the guitars. Unfortunately though, as Tantrum approach the inevitable distorted 'climax' at the end of every song, they seem to throw out their quality control. Ultimately, all of the detail is lost and the band flounder for an eloquent way to end the song. Operating to some peverse internal formula, each track begins as being amazingly intricate before gradually stripping away the excitement as they progress. That said, there are enough of moments of legend amongst the melee for those haphazard segments to be forgiven, and maybe even embraced.

Tantrum/Lift Off. Sirensounds

This is an MP3 song available to download for free at Floppy Records and is taken from Scottish band Tantrum's long awaited album "Advice To Users". This track is ace, and when I get broadband I will be downloading the whole of the album! They use loads of cool effects on their guitars, kind of grungy. The whole album is free to download, or you can buy it direct from Floppy Records.

Tantrum Advice to Users
Beard Summer 2005, Issue 4.

'Four years in the making, its dreamy layers of phased vocals, treated guitars and featherlight drums inevitably lead to My Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins comparisons, but this band hold their own.'

Tantrum Advice to Users
is this music, issue 15, june 2005
'Liftoff' is included on the cover cd.

For the hard-up reader, if there is one album we can whole heartedly recommend this issue, it's this one. Not least because (for those equipped with an internet connection) it's free. Downloadable mp3s of the 7 tracks on this long-awaited album are available at www.floppyrecords.co.uk. Which is remarkable for many reasons, none least that this album has been eleven years in the making (mainly 2001-4, we're told). But aren't mp3s ten-a-penny you ask? Yes, but from the count-in of 'Liftoff' through to the seismic closing of 'Chickpea', Tantrum make a mighty noise which is hard to ignore. In short, a collection of pulsating guitar effects, delicate tunes and occasional scattered samples. OK, very little music is is truly original but Tantrum take a bunch of disparate influences and merge them together with exciting results. When the disembodied female vocals kick in the easy reference is Cocteau Twins, until drowned in swathes of sound, just for the the track to be brought back from the brink with a delicate guitar line. The sound could be Belle and Sebastian returning home after an Explosions in the Sky gig, or the Wedding Present's secret shoegazing project - all the unlikely images conjured up when immersed in this bright and vibrant collection of sounds. At a tenner this would be to value, so this is double welcome. 5/5.

the jockrock blog...

Most impressive was a CD from Tantrum - again, a band I've heard before, but their Advice to Users album - actually a freely downloadable collection of mp3s at www.floppyrecords.co.uk - came in a muslin bag - hand-stitched, with a faux-leather label. I had to cut it open to get at the delightful mess of Cocteaus/Spacemen 3/MBV sounds within. Already Stewart Smith of fine award-winning zine Beard has also noticed Tantrum rise through the pile of CDs on his desk, so their ploy must be working.
However, the plan may be doomed to failure. Most journalists aren't allowed scissors...

I'm still a sucker for loud noisy guitars. Tantrum, from Scotland, have two releases on Floppy Records. Some samples from Advice To Users: Liftoff, Emergency Poncho. I particularly liked Emergency Poncho, that's exactly what the weather is like here on Vancouver Island at this time of year. Some lovely dreamy sounds from the earlier release, Maisie's Friend: Pills and Dreams, Filmsong part 2. Earhead Blog

www.intomusic.co.uk

Tantrum - Maisie's Friends (Floppy)
Hushed and mellow girl vocals backed by smatterings of psychedelic guitar and atmospherics. Like a more experimental Stone Roses meets My Bloody Valentine. Of course I cannot think what they mean by Skunk, Caution! do not play this song whilst operating heavy machinery.

TANTRUM www.alternativefanclub.com

Esta é uma banda super desconhecida. Mas não deveria. È simplesmente demais, com sons que nos remetem a Lush e My Bloody Valentine, ou seja,... Shoegazer! Procure pelo cd "Maisie's Friend" ou no mímino as canções "Scaremonger", "Pills & Dreams", "Litle Donkey" e "Mmmmgeorgeclooney" he he. Bandaça de primeira. (anyone got any ideas what this says???)

Tantrum - Maisie's Friends (Floppy) JockRock 2002

Originally conceived more than 5 years ago, and assembled a wee while back, Tantrum's debut finally sees the light of day. It's worth the wait. A mish-mash of shimmering guitars and buried vocals, it might have been called shoegazing if it had come out when it should have. These days it's equally suitable for chillout purposes as the washes of throbbing sounds recall thoughts of the Cocteaus, the Durutti Column or even Looper. 'Scaremonger' could almost be a single, while the rest is sooo lazily ambient but always with a warm wash of sound.

mp3.com station: Cibergazeta del Aguila 07 Nov 2001
tantrum: scaremonger

More of that irresistibly original music that can turn me into a pedantic writer. Tantrum are from Edinburgh, started on 1995 and, though followed by major companies' A&R, were never signed (if Constellation Records had been flying by then...). Shamefully, the album wasn´t released until 1999! ("Maisie's friend", on Floppy Records). Their ambient- rock music predated so much of what is now so praised... This song is delightful noise-pop like Velocette on a sonic turmoil. A great discovery!

Artista: Tantrum
Título: Maisie´s Friends

Formados en 1995, por alguna razón desconocida este grupo que recoge influencias de Cocteau Twins, Blur, Pale Saints, Sundays, no ha entrado en los circuito de distribución habituales y ha optado por distribuir su trabajo a través de MP3. Creadores de ambientes embriagadores y apoyados en consistentes elementos vocales recuerdan en su composición a Cocteau Twins. No sólo es pop, es además una imagen densa de múltiples matices. Para aquellos que dispongan de ordenador con tarjeta de sonido y el programita oportuno (winamp, por ejemplo) en esta dirección pueden escuchar una recopilación del disco de marras así como de su segundo trabajo Fake Tan.

Thanks to Michael Schrauzer for the translation

[Formed in 1995, for some unknown reason this group, which shows the influences of Cocteau
Twins, Blur, Pale Saints, Sundays, has not entered the normal distribution circuits, but has
opted to distribute their work via mp3. They are creators of intoxicating ambiences, supported
by consistent vocal elements recalling the Cocteau Twins. It is not just pop, but a dense
image of many shades. Those with a sound card and the proper software (winamp, for example),
should direct their computer to this address to hear a compilation of the disc [de marras] as
well as their other band, Fake Tan.]

june 00 www.listen.com review
tantrum Hometown: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

For those who long for the days of the shoegazers, bands like tantrum are a welcome relief to the often- humdrum world of Indie Rock. Soaring, dissonant noises begin each song, forming a solid backbone for pretty, tinkling guitars and grinding swirls of feedback. The vocals, echo-laden and airy, delve in and out of the sea of noise which surrounds them, swelling at intervals and reverberating gently over the background noise. They're clearly masters at creating beautifully delicate, irresistible songs.

'a to z of scotland's music scene' In the City

tantrum: ethereal, textured soundscapes, atmospheric, gentle harmonies, 4ad, drifting melodies, sometimes sunny pop... The List has been banging on about edinburgh five-piece for a year and a half . Dozens of record companies have sniffed about, with MCA, Mother and Mushroom leading the pack. tantrum won a slot at this Festival's Flux event for new music and as part of the prize are releasing 500 cd singles of the track 'tantrum egg'. It's the puppies privates.

23 Feb 98 'Live at the Belle Angelle' The Scotsman

Openers Tantrum certainly deserve a record deal, but the songs which are wistful and beguiling in their demo versions are often rendered worthless in the live setting because of an over enthusiastic guitar sound which obliterates the vocal nuances. These female-fronted locals have some way to go but the basis is strong and with a re-mix projects in the offing they look more than capable of cultivating the eccentricities needed to mark them out from the crowd. ('Headliners Theaudience are dismal.')

7-20 Mar 97 'Live at the Lemon Tree' The List

tantrum sound like they come from another planet, all-ethereal melodies, looped samples and chiming guitars. MCA were so impressed by their first demo that they funded their second.

mar 1996 'demo hell', melody maker

we'll just call tantrum the popteau twins and hope somebody throws a large purseful of monies at them soon and lets them loose in a big studio with lots of knobs and flashing lights. I'll be interested to hear what they come up with.

feb 1996 'demos', bigwig

A mixed collection of mellow, new agey tracks with lots of synth 'pad' textures, swells and swooshes interspersed with electric guitar. The vocals on track one, 'pills and dreams', are good but very much in the background. A similar vocal style carries on through the rockier 'scaremonger' which has a slightly industrial-sounding undercurrent. Hackneyed american-style samples open some of the tracks. However, one of these, at the start of 'skewhiff' works quite well. 'Tantrum egg' is an inventive track with some strange guitar sounds and is a bit different. The third last track, 'filmsong part 1' could be a cracker if the seemingly directionless musical meanderings were chopped out and it was made a bit snappier. Pick of the bunch, and possible the most accessible track, is the second last; 'skunk', but again it's a bit lengthy and finishes with more of that sampled dialogue that should perhaps mean something, but loses me. Good album or tv/film music.
(NB: there are no synths, keyboards, synth 'pad' textures on this album, but bigwig only like west coast rock - tantrum)

dec 1995 'tape of the month', making music

An ambient, melodic duo from edinburgh who seem to owe a large debt to the 4ad record label. The moody, spacey feel is helped in this instance by a not-quite-right mix which buries the vocals, but makes them all the more intriguing for that. 'Pills and dreams' is an engaging opener, a tasteful, restrained piece somewhere between Dubstar and a Blur ballad. The second [scaremonger], unfortunately suffers from an intrusive drum machine and woolly dubbing which makes it impossible to hear clearly. Number three, 'skewhiff', is altogether cleaner and proves to be another dreamy moodscape. Singer nikki has a voice not unlike that of Tanya Donelly which perfectly suits the introspective mood of the band. There's a lot of promise here and, with a decent producer, they could accomplish great things. The sound is perfect for the times.

nov 3-16 1995 'demos', the list

Reviewing demo tapes is often a daunting task that involves wading through hours of poorly written, badly played dross that sounds as though it was recorded on a traffic island in the rush hour. Occasionally a gem turns up. A tape so intriguing that your fag burns out unsmoked and your coffee ices over untouched. Tantrum's offering is one such sparkler: a seven-track delight that gently bubbles with infectious feel-good harmony and mellow sunshine vibes. Film samples and spacey loops mesh smoothly with dreamy vocals to produce a soundscape as uplifting as it is enigmatic. For easy reference points, think of the spliffed-out, giggling offspring of the Cocteau twins and you're getting there. Lazy sunday mornings and hazy, happy late nights on tape

Comments & Emails

• Your band remains the best-kept secret in the music business.
  Fan - Garageband.com
• about skewhiff: Twin Peaks at double speed? knowwhatImean! I'm fond of this, echoes, bright, unintelligable vocals... lovely, imaginative production. someone tell david lynch !!!
  lazlo
• I listened to your CD's and must say I was well impressed with both of them, especially Tantrum - Maisie's friend. I thought that it was a true classic album. I can't believe that I haven't heard of you before. Anyway I would love to feature the band on the site and would like to feature "pills and dreams" - a great number!!!
  Pat, Elevation Station
• farking lurve it!!! Any releases on vinyl I can get? I listened to film song and find it amazing.. .lurve the vocal canon thingie... excellent!!... reminds me of trashmonk's 'girl i use to know'... lovely!
  Ewan
• I was by your web and I like your records very much! I am no music player or an expert or anything (just a happy listener :), but there was something very special with you anyway in my ears. Just my taste, if I may say so. I wish you much luck and let me know if you make new good songs please.
  Jessica
• Hi there, It's been months that I heard Maisie's Friend at my friend's home in Amsterdam after one of our dj gigs at the LVC in Leiden. It was in the middle of the night and I sank asleep in a pretty perfect way, I can assure you! Beautiful music. Thanks.
  Edwin, Haarlem, Netherlands
• mp3.com station: cocteau radio
  scaremonger: stunning!!! i only wish they would make a few more songs available (2 at the mo, both featured here, of course). something to bounce up and down to. filmsong part 1: just when i thought i had already found all the coolest bands on mp3.com i then happen to stumble onto this, miracles never cease! seven minutes of sheer sonic sensation...
• mp3.com station: DreamPop Links
  Scaremonger: Interesting, trippy track from this Scottish duo. Fem vocals and a minimal melody under a revolving miasma of effects. Probably what Medicine would sound like if they were still alive. !
• Keep up the great musick! I'll be listening! Cheers,
  Cory www.mp3.com/hoth
• You guys rock.My whole band enjoyed listening to your stuff.We are called WORMBELLY. We are from Charleston SC.you rule!!!!!
  www.wormbelly.com
• I just ordered maisie's friend from mp3.com -- it's great! Please let me know when your next cd is ready!
  Michael, California
• all i have to say is WOW! this stuff is unbelievably good.. keep it up.
  thomo

Remixes

If you would like to have a go - please do as tantrum is licensed under a Creative Commons License. I will put them up here.

Recording Maisie's Friend

all the songs apart from tantrum egg and blue velveteen were recorded many times on 4-track before we started on the 8-track (skunk, for instance, was on version 14). Some of them were begun 10 years before.

we borrowed a Fostex A8 8-track reel to reel tape machine and we striped track 8 of each tape with time code (except the filmsongs and blue velveteen), and recorded a mono guide track of the drums for each song, and then began recording.

just about everything went through some of the pedals at some point. the pedal order changed whenever we felt like it. lots of sounds came from anywhere around the flat: tv, radio, cds, sticking microphone's out the window, and were recorded onto 4-track and mixed down either onto 8-track or or at the final mix.

a few of the tracks were restriped and drummed when we thought the speeds were wrong. so we recorded everything, usually, eventually, recording over the guide drums as well - depending on how strapped for space we were - and then left the tapes alone for a month.

after that we listened to them and re-recorded most of the songs in some way or another

we hired a dat machine for two days and mixed three versions of each song, spent a week deciding on which version, and about a month on the order. two songs: 'wrestler' and 'salome and the new lads' were thought too out of character to go on.

from borrowing the 8-track to having a finished tape of 8 songs took 5 months and were recorded in our flat (sitting room and kitchen) in raeburn place in stockbridge, edinburgh.

Equipment List

Recording

• Fostex A8 reel-to-reel 8-track (b)
• Boss 6-track mixer (b)
• Pocket midi sync(?)(b, m)
• Fostex X-30 4-track
• 1/4 inch tape (s/h, b)
• Atari 1040 (b, m)
• big fostex 4-track(b, m)
• DAT machine (hired)

Instruments

• Hopf (?) Troupadour guitar (b)
• Westone thunder 1 bass (b)
• Shure 58 Microphone
• Roland Drumatix (b)
• Alesis SR 16
• TV, radio, video
• in the flat. out the window

Effects

• Yamaha DD1 digital delay pedal
• Sans-amp pedal
• Cry-baby wah pedal
• Korg stereo chorus pedal
• Guyatone Flanger pedal
• yellow phaser pedal(?)(b)
• Vox AC30 Amp & tremolo
• Scamp compressor (b)
• Quadraverb (b, m)

b = borrowed,   m = used at final mix and/or striping tape for timecode and guide drums. S/h - Everything is second hand, but especially the tape, apart from the Fostex X-30 4-track and the Shure 58 Microphone.